UFC contender Anthony Pettis not considering a move to featherweight

With a lightweight title shot within his grasp, Anthony Pettis isn’t moving to featherweight.

The former WEC champ, who was expected to fight current UFC champ Benson Henderson until Frankie Edgar instead recently got the rematch, curbed the speculation on Wednesday.

Pettis’ name had been attached to rumors of a possible move to Strikeforce to fight champ Gilbert Melendez or a move down to 145 pounds to fight UFC titleholder Jose Aldo.

“I’m not dropping to 145 to fight aldo!” he tweeted. “155 is my home, and I’ll get that belt soon!!!”

After Pettis (15-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) knocked out Joe Lauzon this past month at UFC 144, where Henderson topped then-champ Edgar for the belt, UFC president Dana White suggested Pettis vs. Henderson II could be on tap. Pettis won the first meeting – which included an off-the-cage “Showtime” kick – in the WEC’s final event back in late 2010.

Then, earlier this week, one of Melendez’s trainers, Cesar Gracie, publicly campaigned for a fight between the Strikeforce champ and either B.J. Penn or Pettis. However, Pettis appears committed to winning the UFC title instead.

After joining the UFC, Pettis took a fight instead of waiting for a promised title shot. However, in the headliner of The Ultimate Fighter 13 Finale this past June, he lost that shot when he suffered a unanimous-decision defeat to Clay Guida. Since then, though, he’s climbed back into contention with a split-decision win over Jeremy Stephens and the 81-second KO of Lauzon.

As the UFC 189 tour made its last stop in Dublin, featherweight champ Jose Aldo was met with a torrent of abuse from the Irish fans. It might have been unpleasant, but it might also have been just what he needed.